Wine tourism in the Parkburn area north of Cromwell is unlikely to be affected by the centralising of Downer EDi Works Ltd's operations on its Parkburn site, north of Cromwell, an independent commissioner has found.
The company has been granted resource consent to relocate its Alexandra and Wanaka depot operations to the Parkburn site.
Six submissions were received by the Central Otago District Council, all opposing the application. Five were from owners of neighbouring vineyards who were concerned about the increase in traffic and dust and said the industrial activity was inappropriate in a rural area.
At the request of the applicant, the matter was heard by independent commissioner Denis Nugent. His decision, granting the extension to the Parkburn depot, subject to 19 conditions, was announced this week.
One of the submitters was the Amisfield Wine Company. Its vineyard manager, Andre Lategan, yesterday said he supposed grape growers in the area would have to accept the decision "and live with it".
"Where is all the industrial expansion in that area going to end, though, that's what we want to know?"
In effect, the Parkburn operation was an industrial one in the midst of a beautiful area, Mr Lategan said.
Downer EDi Works Ltd planned to relocate the bulk of its existing operation at Alexandra and Wanaka to the Parkburn site and to erect a building to replace existing office buildings. Up to 20 employees would be accommodated on the 59ha site, 9km north of Cromwell.
The site also contained a quarry and its mining licence had been renewed, providing for gravel and aggregate to be extracted until January 2039.
Mr Nugent said he did not believe the proposal would have adverse effects on the landscape any more than a limited degree. It would be a temporary effect due to the existing and proposed landscape planting.
The effect of dust on neighbouring properties would be minor, he said.
Although submitters said the development would diminish amenity values that contributed to the area's attraction for wine tourism, Mr Nugent said no evidence had been presented to show that wine tourism had been diminished or adversely affected by the presence of the depot since it was established in 2006.
"I note also that the production of wine does involve a manufacturing component that can include significant traffic movements and large buildings," he said.
